Ventilation Refurbishment

At Air Options we can fully support your business when it comes to refurbishing your ventilation system. Ventilation refurbishment is an all-encompassing term which can include, although is not limited to the following top ten considerations:

1. Ventilation modification and refurbishment to align with a revised office layout, whether this be formation of cellular areas or creating an open plan environment.
2. Increases in fresh air and extraction rates to align with staffing levels, or to offer improved fresh air dilution levels when it comes to managing the risks associated with COVID-19 or alike. UK advice is clear in stating improved ventilation rates reduce the risks accordingly.
3. Modifications and ventilation refurbishment can be carried out to accommodate modern energy efficient fans and inverter controls. We have seen some pleasing savings over the years where energy consumption levels can be considerably reduced by swapping out fans and controls.
4. Cleanliness and odour control. As part of our ventilation refurbishment programme, existing duct, heat exchangers, grilles etc can be cleaned reducing pungent odours and air borne particles entering the works space. Filter assemblies can also be replaced, and in some cases upgraded to improve cleanliness further.
5. Positive and negative pressures is often an area that gets overlooked when refurbishing your fresh air or ventilation system and plays a large part in improving cleanliness of the workspace. When we refurbish a ventilation system, and whilst a balanced system is the norm, consideration can be given to creating an environment with a positive internal pressure helping to reduce the ingress of contaminants or smells from outside sources e.g. where an office for example might side onto a busy road, or cooking/ manufacturing facility. On other occasions a negative pressure might be beneficial to avoid cross contamination and generally see this in more sensitive facilities such as laboratories and hospitals.
6. There is specific HSE and UK advice surrounding fresh air levels in an office or workspace occupied by personnel without opening windows. This legislation is based upon minimum levels of fresh air per person and should be reviewed when refurbishing your ventilation package. Never assume the existing fresh air system has capacity to accommodate your requirement as many of the ventilation systems we refurbish come up short. In these cases we can interface existing refurbished systems with a new installation mitigating your costs and value engineering a solution.
7. It is not just the advice of the HSE you need to consider and in addition we can help when it comes working with your local authority building control department. Building control will need to be involved should you modify your office or building layout, and we are happy to work with them directly or alongside your builder or fit out contractor. Like the HSE, building control will have a specific requirement that needs to be met, which can be integrated into your ventilation refurbishment package.
8. When considering ventilation refurbishment why not evaluate noise levels and if required fit additional attenuation to reduce noise levels to maximise comfort. Your ventilation system should be quiet and discreet to minimise disruption to your office or workspace, and neighbouring properties.
9. Draughts are often easily fixed via strategic location of grilles and swapping out of diffusers and grilles for well-designed items that consider velocities, throw and direction of the air. A grille or diffuser needs designing to meet your specific needs and is far more than just an outlet or inlet for the air to pass.
10. Finally, when refurbishing your office or workplace ventilation, how it interfaces with your existing heating or air conditioning heat pump system is key. It is key from a comfort, user, and efficiency perspective that your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system should work in harmony to produce the results you require, whilst being compliant with current legislation.

Why not contact Air Options to discuss your ventilation refurbishment and upgrade today? We have the expertise on hand to turn old ineffective systems into efficient packages aligned with your current or future needs.